1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packaging for shipping and displaying objects.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Product packaging has evolved from being merely a shipping aid into a crucial marketing tool. More than ever, package design is directed to enhancing product attractiveness. Many different package designs have been developed which provide for both protecting products during shipping and displaying the products in a marketplace once shipped. Some designs provide perforations or other conventions for severing a package wall or walls so that portions of the package may be folded away to expose the contents of the package. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 141,077, issued May 1, 1945, to J. P. Sawyer, entitled Display Box; U.S. Pat. No. 2,324,436, issued Jul. 13, 1943, to D. J. Snyder, entitled Packing And Display Case; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,037, issued Apr. 12, 1955, to H. A. Feigelman, entitled Folding Shipping And Display Boxes.
Other designs provide a manipulable package including one or more panels, each having an aperture for viewing the package contents. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 611,063, issued Sep. 20, 1898, to C. E. Davis, entitled Counter Display Box; U.S. Pat. No. 1,210,008, issued Dec. 26, 1916, to J. B. Singer et al., entitled Display Device; U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,543, issued Dec. 12, 1967, to R. B. Taggart, entitled Display And Gift Box; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,178, issued Jul. 31, 1984, to S. D. Freeman, entitled Display Structure Formed Of A Unitary Blank.
Some designs provide an internal panel, or combination of panels essentially functioning as a singular panel, having apertures, each for receiving, but not retaining, an object. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,171,083, issued Feb. 8, 1916, to B. F. Bailey, entitled Egg Box; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,019,414, issued Oct. 29, 1935, to O. L. Isacson, entitled Box For Packing Eggs And Similar Fragile Objects.
Other designs provide for retaining an object with cooperating slotted internal panels and exposing the contents to some extent. However, complete access to the contents requires destruction of the package. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,726, issued Oct. 25, 1988, to M. S. Pratt, entitled Packaging.
Still other designs provide for a package composed of hinged prism-like compartments which may be manipulated to register apertures in each compartment and receive objects. However, the apertures do not positively retain the object. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,210, issued Jun. 21, 1994, to J. P. Chila et al., entitled Display Box.
Unfortunately, none of the foregoing provides a package that is manipulable between an encapsulating position, for shipping or storing, and a displaying position, for exposing and retaining, an object. None of the aforementioned references, taken alone or in combination, are seen as teaching or suggesting the presently claimed Package.